Tier 2 to Unmarried Partner Visa-Please Advise

[vinnyxg]

Hi all,

Overview:
I am in need of some advice. I am currently on a Tier 2 Visa-sponsored by a company. I have been on this visa for the past 2 years and previously on a PSW visa for another 2 visa and prior to that a student for 3 years. I met my current partner who is a British citizen in Jan 2010 and by June 2010 we were in a serious relationship. My partner has been living with her parents near London and works in the City and I have been based near Winchester due to work. She used to come over and live with me during the weekends and occassionaly during the weekdays. In January this year my company relocated to London and we moved in together. We started a joint account, joint tenancy, bills are on both names, etc. In total, we have now been in a relationship for about 2.5 years. We are not planning to get married till we both pass our professional exams which will be in about 18 month's time. My company is going through a series of mergers at the moment and it is quite unsettling as a lot of people are being made redundant.

Question:
Under the new immigration rules, can I switch to the unmarried partner visa? My query is specifically around the bit in the old rules which said ''lived together for at least 2 years''. Under the new rules, there is no specific mention of this in the guidelines. Given my circumstances, will my partner be able to apply for an unmarried partner visa for me? The financial and English language requirements are not a problem.

Thank you all in advance and I appreciate any input/view/feedback.

[Lucapooka]

You will need evidence of two years co-habitation. Irrespective of the time you have known each other (which may be considerably longer than two years), have you lived together akin to marriage at the same address for at least two years? Without this it will be very difficult to substantiate your claim to an unmarried partnership.

[vinnyxg]

Hi Lucapooka,

Many thanks for your reply.... Unfortunately we have not got evidence of a 2 year co-habitation.... Is there no other way around this? Are we not able to build a case to prove our relationship?

[Lucapooka]

No, the requirement is for two years